Ground meat patty forming machine



4 Sheets-Sheet 1 F. S. ELSAESSER GROUND MEAT PATTY FORMING MACHINE March 20, 1951 Filed Jan. 2, 1948 JNVENTOR. FAA 1&6. Emma's Any.

kifw F March 20, 1951 F. s. ELSAESSER 2,545,451

GROUND MEAT PATTY FORMING MACHINE Filed Jan. 2, 1948 '4 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY W March 20, 1951 s, s ss 2,545,451

GROUND MEAT PATTY FORMING MACHINE Filed Jan. 2, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet s 2 .C H w M 1 561 5/ a) 79 y w My; f M

/i j, V M3 M9 W4 W7 INVENTOR. m I E ma? JIzJussEz Any March 20, 1951 F. s. ELSAESSER 2,545,451

GROUND MEAT PATTY FORMING MACHINE Filed Jan. 2, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR. FPMZ: JELi/YESJIE and method iorfo Patented Mar. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES LATENT OFFICE 2545, 151 sm le MF P T O G Me -e se Frank Sr Elsaesser, Cincinnati, Ohio llhi invention relates to impro gegnent ina machine n forrfr'i'ingfground' patties such as Hambu st liLp ttiesJ nd unt ylsau ee pe fi v V, V i so .This ma hi r e ro m n o applica t pil i ea l c' l t r a li 3%};053 f Tf. 1' eer imciin at pa t sfi j d abrii 12, Q1947, anaw'ni h m its principal ys e' in re t u a ts an re ta ran s n-isl nei s a l meats. t, o The prin a lobies t ofjthe Pres n nve t sl 'l provide 'afl a mach fir n groundmeat patties whereby a small amount of space i fsccupisd whileacp m s n t d sired r um. .n A

Another object of the present invention-is the provision of a cmne for proyiding Hamburg steak or other ground meat patties in which the said patties are proYidedon-each side thereof with a protecting paper which -issupplied from rolls andin which the said paper rolls are utill-ize'd as the means rorerre'ctmg the mashing-of the -gro-uricl meat into patties;

' Anotherobject of the present invention is the provision of a machine for accomplishingzthe foregoing objects which utilizes the paper .rolls as the flattening or-rmashing device wand-wherein means are .provided for insuring vsaid paper: rolls so acting as their size and weight decreases.

--Another object of this invention is the :provisioh of. a machine forlaccomplishing tthetforegoing objects and inlwhichithe ground. meat patties. are producedinanontinuous streamtoeethfi with lmeans whereby, the ,said patties hovering papers are severedto. separateihe patties from one another.

zothler o iects. a d. ad an a e o th p sent int ntion hould hereadflmpp e by r e -1. to the following specification considered -iI1-QQI1- jun on w th th a csm eey se dr w es 0r.. m asa i ereo sn i is os n rs d t a any modifications may be made in the exact structural ldje lails' there shown and vdo:scribed, Within th s'copeof ,theapnended claims, without departin m o eke d ne the spirit o the veh't'idnf In he raw QFigl. ,1 is a front elevation .of a ground meat pat y o min lmabhi'n r, emb dyi the principles andstruct eo th pz sent nv h n.

151% 2 isrjaigsid le ation h lmach e. in B ,25 see ro jt ri ht-han s th e File; '3 is a t p pl n ieW o the machine o Fi s- 1 fland12.

iTf'Fi -fi i e w .e ril e l v i e and P rtl A 1 cl i (01. i- 32) in section and as seen from line 4- 4 on Fig: 1. I ,Fi s s yeriiqall en r sectional ew'i o h He 6 s nlare iraem a seqt ilelyi w li'r e the mach ne throat, a se n rom flin's Egg? i sj a f r agm entary sectio nal view taken aline ,q Fla Sand llu tm'tin the s. positions of the paper mills duringthejiorrn qilths ,erqunsllml at att es Fig. .1 is a i aementarmi w,nart y-i s ctieim a d. pa tly i IEig. 12 is ethane verse -s ectional yiew through;

rts.

n t liheseme Th round a -i a't i-l rmieeimaoh nep h ersssn inv i en-.; em rise stable ,suita y s11. n tte hyd e inr h .l ik l -15. Mounted onvthe table 1. ate-. 1 en :t ereof sa meater nsieri: io m ne, he case; 11, 0 .pa1'.t;9fi;th presen invention and comprising a pedestal I! mounted n a. p llow block; 18 upstanding :from. the i table electric motorllfi driving through suitable reduction gearing not shown, 'withinla .housingri2 .a feed shaft. oriwormsll. 'zfIhe lfedeworm'al enclosed inzthe housing 22 ewhi'chthas 'iipstanding aafillerw neck-' 23 receivingothe discharge spout 22- of ameat supporting .tray 35. vAt;theend-of 32 that; aswill later bef-made' cleargcooperats with 'a-cut-ofiknifiel "The foregoing 6 ee e s. some Ebe ass s es tha s cription of a meat grinder is" 3 nut 3| secures the comminuting plate 26 and nozzle 28 in operative position.

Mounted on and upstanding from the table I are suitable roll supporting means for the paper masher rolls, there are four such means, one for each side of the rolls, and it is deemed sufficient if but one of them be described in detail.

Accordingly, a bracket 33 is employed being secured in operative position by angle members 34. Secured to and inwardly of the bracket 33 is a supporting cam 35, shown most clearly in elevation in Fig. 7. The cam 35 has a cam face 36 formed substantially as illustrated in Fig. '7, located below the upper edge of the bracket 33 to form an abutment 56, said cam face 36 is formed to cooperate with the paper rolls as the same decrease in size and as will later be made clear.

The paper roll supporting means are opposed to one another with the cam faces 35 of each pair of opposed cams in substantial alignment and receiving the projecting ends of an axle 31 of a paper roll 38. It will be understood that the paper roll 38 is opposed by a substantially similar paper roll 39 having a central shaft or axle 40 projecting from opposite sides thereof and supported on the cams 35 of the second set or pair of supporting means. The ends of the shafts or axles 31 and 49 are adapted to engage the bracket abutments 33' to retain same in operative positions.

The paper rolls 38 and 39 are adapted to form between them a flattening or mashing throat substantially equal to the final thickness of the ground meat patty and respectively have a paper layer 4| and 42 depending from said throat downwardly through an opening I5 in the table I5, as most clearly illustrated in Figs. 6 and '7.

The width of the ground meat patty forming throat is determined by abutments limiting the approach of the paper rolls toward one another and any suitable or desirable means may be employed for this purpose. As illustrated in the drawings, the said abutments comprise a pair of upstanding members or posts 43 and 44 each mounted in position by angle brackets 45. As seen in Fig. 6 each'post is provided with a plurality of inwardly projecting axles or studs 4'1 and 48 arranged in two vertical rows and on which rows of studs are respective rollers 49 and 50. The rollers 49 of the row 41 are adapted to have peripheral engagement with paper roll 38 while the rollers 50 of the row 48 are adapted to have peripheral engagement with the paper roll 39.

As illustrated in the drawings, see Fig. 1 for example, each of the paper rolls 38 and 39 is provided with a center core 5| of considerable dimension inwardly of which projects bearing flanges 52 and 53. The bearing flanges 52 and 53 are also utilized as a means for retaining the paper roll in substantially a centralized position with respect to its axle or shaft 31 and 40 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 12. As there shown the said axle 40 is undercut or necked at 54 and 55 receiving the said bearing flanges 52 and 53. The axles themselves are retained against displacement, as previously pointed out, by engaging the upstanding flange portion 56 or each bracket 33.

It will be understood that the abutment means or rollers 49 and 50 should engage the rolls at points on the central line thereof which passes through the axes of their respective axles or supporting shafts wherefore the plurality of the said abutment rollers 49 and 50. As clearly illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 by phantom line circles 51, as the paper rolls decrease in size the axles thereof roll downwardly on the cam faces 36 thereby gradually lowering the said axles axes toward the said table l5 wherefore the rolls engage the abutment rollers successively from the uppermost to the lowermost with the latter so positioned as to retain the paper rolls cores 5| at the same distance from one another as the full paper rolls as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 7.

It will be appreciated that a full paper roll has considerable weight requiring a considerable pressure to outwardly sh ft the same wherefore the ground meat is readily mashed or flattened. As the said. paper rolls decrease in size their weight correspondingly decreases with the result that they may be more readily and easily shifted. In order to overcome this the cam faces 36 are so formed as to act as wedges resisting outward displacement which is readily seen from Fig. 7 when it is considered that the direct outward push on the paper rolls is substantially directly against the cam faces 36 and not in a direction in line with the direction of the extent of said faces.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, for example, the abutment rolls 49 and 59 are illustrated as quite narrow and interleaved with respect to one another so that a considerable abutment bearing is provided but the said abutment rolls 49 and 50 are beyond the lateral extent of the patty forming throat 58 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 in which the patty is indicated by the reference numeral 59.

Located below the table I5 and supported by the legs I6 is a shelf 69 supporting a feeding device and auxiliary masher indicated in general by the reference numeral 6L The feeding device 6!, as seen in Fig. 4, comprises a pair of bearing members 62 and 63 each of which is provided with suitable anti-friction bearings for shafts or axles 64 and 65 of feed rollers 66 and 61. The feed rollers 66 and 61 have their peripheries spaced from one another a distance equal to the final thickness of the patty 59. Said rollers 66 and 6'! are suitably connected or geared to one another to rotate in directions whereby the opposed points of their peripheries move downwardly and for which purpose the roller 66 is provided near its outer ends with collars 68 and 69 each in peripheral driving engagement with similar collars l0 and H on the roller 61. Intermediate the collars 58 and 69 the roller 66 is provided with additional collars 12=and I3, which like the collars 68 and 69, are opposed to and in peripheral driving engagement with collars I4 and 15 on the roller 61. The collars 12, I3, 14 and 15 are adapted to grip between them the edges of the papers M and 42 laterally of the patty 59 and feed or unroll the paper from the paper rolls 39 and 39.

In order to effect this feed of the paper 4| and 42, the shaft or axle 64 projects beyond its bearing 62 to have keyed or otherwise secured thereto a pulley 16 about which is trained a belt 71. The belt 11 is in turn trained about a pulley 18 on one end of an intermediate shaft I9 rotatably journaled in a bracket 89 secured to and upstanding from the shelf 60. The other end of the shaft 19 has keyed or otherwise secured to it a pulley BI having trained thereabout a belt 82, in turn, trained about a pulley 83 of a variable or adjustable speed mechanism indicated in general by the reference numeral 84. Any suitable or desirable speed varying or adjusting mechanism may be employed that illustrates in the drawing being a commercial product suitable for "thispurpose and-is disclosed merely .as anrillusti ation of one type of such mechanism.

The speed adjusting mechanism. .84, see-also Fig. 1, (comprises a bracket 85 that .may be-secured to the shelf iii} having voscillatablyjournaled thereon an armpBS irotatably; supporting atsits upper end a shafttl on which ismounted the pulley .83. Also mounted on the shaft 181 is :a second pulley .88 about which is trained 21513611789. Thepulleys 83.-and i88;have acommon, side in the form of apulley flange .90 which is adapted to move -axiallyof the shaft 8 and thereby increase or decrease the effective size of the pulley 83 and, correspondingly but oppositely phange the effective- ;size;.of the :pulley r88. order to accomplishsthis the arm 186 is oscillated through an adjusting screw -91 .havingsa threaded sengagemerits-with :the arm- 85 and rrotatably m nt against. axial movement .in, alu :92 upstand n .from theibase 85. Carried. by theadiusting screw Bil beyond lug :92 is awthandwheel :33 =yvhereby-;the screwgaltisrrotated.

--The construction and operation of "the. speed adjusting mechanism.:.84 is .well :known.

#The beltg89 in addition is trained about pulley 84 :on =the motor shaft :95 whereby the transmission train receivesits power.

i Inorder to :divide the rstreamof meat being ejected irom the nozzle 28 use is made-of aknife 96 secured to, seeiEign-fi, ansarm. 91 carried .by and projecting from a shaft '98 "mounted .for .rotationy in ahearing 99.;secured to andgupstanding from :thetalole i5. Theiknife shaft zfisl lrojccts beyond it'he :bearing 9 ;-to ,have zkeyed ,or othe rwise secured :thereto a pulley tflii about which is trained; a belt Bl tur tra nedrab u a mi r 102 secured to the feed roller qshaitji o eration of therap o min ath1 11 6 is as .iollows gfiround meat ;-is extruded .rrom the .ncmzle 28 inrarcontinuou stre mra szu a pra tic F1 paper rolls 38 and 9 are mounted in theposition shown in; lli g. l with the paper 1 3i varid- 42.- extend n fro ,the -.-rssi etiv rol s d nward t the feed 19 6 5 ea -len has their ne iiiliiea eessri ne vn ve6 .;fee n sel 1 155. 1%? :Qa i-Y RQ Qi Q -Qi t m to shaft 1 causes the teed rolls 56 and. {E7 to ,unroll the paper M andAZgf-romtheir respective rolls vand atcthe same time .the knifev 96 isactuated for severing. successive portionsvof ground meat from the stream at inteitvals..determined.by a complete ,rotationvofthe knifeshaftBB.

ltishould be noted, that the speedadjusting mechanism T34 is adjusted to j the'point that each P 11 1011 of meat, as severed from the stream by the ,knife 95, is su h. that it will form a ground jmeat patty suihcient to provide, for example, a Hambur ,steak. Itvvill be understood that by increasing the rate of rotation of the cut-.oif

knife 56 the jless meat per patty wherefor the individual user may adjust his machine depending upon the particular size of patty to be served or the particularpurpose of the I patty.

The severed portions of the'ground meat are caught by the paper rolls tli and 39 and as the paper-g4! and 42 thereof is drawn downwardly the' said ground meat portions move therewith intoand through thethroatoi said'paper rolls. Since the paper ,rolls are causedto rotate bythe unwinding of their paper, the grou nd meat portions a e similarly actuated inbeing-flattened. The paper- 4 l and i-z along with the patties be tween are further "mashed or flattened, 1 if necessary: by meat peripheries of the-feed rolls-66- and d 61. It ewill-lbelseen that then-pattie along-mi th the papers Al and iii-pass in a ,continuous .11. broken stream throughthe throat of 'the'opposed paper rolls.

The stream of patties between the papers pass throughthe feeding rolls 6t and 51 through an aperture or opening [03 in theshelf -60 to a second shelf HM located beneath the first shelf 60,. To assist in directingthe said stream ,of meat pattiesvand paper a deflector plate is provided having its upper ,end 1586 securedqto one edge of the opening I113 and its lower end J01 on-the shelf Hi l. The pattiesare provided .between them with a space i108 through which any suitable orldesirable means may he passed for severing the patties from one another and, one form of whichsevering means-is clearly disclosed in'Figs-Z', 3 and 5.

The said severing means comprises a lcnife.

blade 199 having its rear end :pivotlymounted at Hi] to the corner of the shelf 104 with said knife .blade having a handle IEI at its forward end through which it is oscillated relative to a fixed blade HZYcarried by the shelf 104 at the forward edgethereof.

-It will be understood that the ground meat patties 59lmaybe individually severed from the stream or said pattiesmay be severed in groups oftwo or more.

In order to insure the papers 4| and 52 properly passing through the :throat 58 andto permit of lateral adjustment thereof and insure-said papers bearing a proper relation .to one another means are provided whereby .the feed rolls. .66 and 5"! maybe released forthis purpose. Theu'eleasing means consistsin forming the bearings retention members for one of the rolls,.roll 6l,-for example, as "a swingable latch H3 'pivotally mounted in operative position by a bolt l It. By this construction'the latch MS of :each bearing assembly 62 and. it-may be swungfrom the solid lineposition to the dotted line position as illustrated in Fig. 4.

In'the modification illustrated in Figs. 8 to '11, inclusive, use is. made ofan automatic cut-off or severing mechanism which however required the use of perforated papers and '42. Accordingly, the paper rolls :38 and v.38 areeach provided with a pluralityof transverse perforations H5 thereby, in effect, providing the rolls with individualsheets connected with one anotherby a line of perforations. 5. The use of rolledperforated paper inno Wise changes the operation of the machine as above described but enables the. use of an automatic cut-off I device.

Thevautomatic cut-off'device comprises a second pair of rollers H8 and H! which are quite similar; to 'the'feed rollers-66 and 67 with each of said rollers H6 and H! respectively having a shaft or axle 5 i8 and H8 journaled in suitable bearings E26 and i2! secured to and depending from the underside of the shelf- 60. Saidbearings are positioned substantially immediately below bearings 62 -and-63 one on each side of the opening I03 in the shelf Bil. Thecut-off rolls Ht'and H! are adapted to rotate in opposite directions at the same speeds for which purpose the roller I H3 is provided-with a pair of collars l22-and -I23 opposed to andin peripheral engagement with collars 24 and on the roller I ll. Mounted on each of the roller Ilfiand H1 is a third I collar I23 and I2! which are in oppositionto'one adapted to-grip :one edge I of the papers' 4 I and ,which please see above.

42 outwardly of the patties 59 therebetween and are preferably located immediately below one or the other pair of feed collars I274 or 13-45 so as to engage the same edge of the papers AI and 42.

The rollers H6 and I II are to be power driven for which purpose one of the shafts or axles thereof, H8 for example, is extended to have keyed or otherwise secured to it a pulley I28 about which is trained a belt I29. The belt I29 extends about a second pulley I30 on the feed roll shaft 64 and which pulley I30 takes the place of the pulley I92 on the shaft 54 for a reason subsequently to be made clear. It is desired that the cut-off rollers H6 and Ill be actuated at speeds in excess of the speed of the feed rollers 66 and 6'! wherefor the pulley I28 is of a diameter smaller than the diameter of the pulley I38 on the feed roller shaft 8%.

The cut-off rollers H6 and II! are located below the feed rollers 66 and 61 a distance slightly greater than the distance between successive perforations H in the papers ll and 12 so that a sheet of paper, as determined by successive lines of perforations I I5, is below the feed rollers 66 and 6'? before being engaged by the cut-off rollers I I6 and I I'l It has been found that with this construction the paper sheet below the feed rollers upon engagement by the higher speed cutoff rollers I I6 and l I? will be torn from the sheet presently engaged by the feed rollers. This is particularly true if but a single pair of collars I26 and I2? is employed which exerts its pulling action at one end of the line of perforation and thereby tears across the sheets in effecting the separation of successive sheets from the rolls, all as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 9.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the ground meat patties are individually severed from the stream with each patty having a covering or protecting sheet of paper from the roll papers 4] and 42.

With the use of perforated paper it is necessary that the portions of meat cut from the stream being extruded by the grinder fall substantially mid-way between successive lines of perforations I I5 in the paper. In order to accomplish this the cut-off knife must be timed in relation to the rotation of the feed rollers since a difference in rotation of the cut-off knife and feed rollers will result in either a creeping up of the lines of perforation H5 on successive meat patties or a lagging behind thereof and for which reason there is provided an additional speed adjustin mechanism in the power train. As seen in Fig. the intermediate shaft '19 is provided with a second pulley I3! about which i trained a belt 32 which extends about a speed adjustin mechanism indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral I33 and which is substantially identical in construction and operation with the speed adjusting mechanism 84 and for a description of The speed adjusting mechanism I33 is mounted on and upwardly extends from the table 25. A second belt I34 from the speed adjusting mechanism I33 is trained about the pulley I96 on the knife shaft 98.

From the foregoing it is believed now evident that there has been provided a ground meat patty forming machine that will accomplish the objects initially set forth.

What is claimed is:

1. In a ground meat patty forming machine the combination of a pair of rolls of paper each roll formed from a continuous strip of paper,

means operatively mounting said paper rolls to have their peripheries opposed to one another in spaced relation to form between their said opposed peripheries a mashing or flattening throat into which a quantity of ground meat, suficient to form a patty, is placed, and means operatively connected with said paper rolls for simultaneously rotating the paper rolls and unwinding the paper strips to cause the ground meat quantity to move with the paper strips and pass through the throat and be mashed or flattened into a patty with a protecting paper strip on each side of the patty.

2. In a ground meat patty forming machine the combination of a pair of rolls of paper each roll formed from a continuous strip of paper, means operatively mounting said paper rolls to have their peripheries opposed to ane another in spaced relation to form between their said opposed peripheries a mashing or flattening throat into which a quantity of ground meat, suflicient to form a patty, is placed, means operatively con! nected with said paper rolls for simultaneously rotating the paper rolls and unwinding the paper strips to cause the ground meat quantity to move with the paper strips and pass through the throat and be mashed or flattened into a patty with a protecting paper strip on each side of the patty, and means beyond the mashing or flattening throat for separating the paper strips from the rolls behind the ground meat patty.

3. In a ground meat patty forming machine the combination of a pair of rolls of paper each roll formed from a continuous strip of paper, means operatively mounting said paper rolls to have their peripheries opposed to one another in spaced relation to form between their said opposed peripheries a mashin or flattening throat into which a quantity of ground meat, sufficient to form a patty, is placed, and means operatively connected with said paper rolls for simultaneously rotating the paper rolls and unwinding the paper strips to cause the ground meat quantity to move with the paper strips and pass through the throat and be mashed or flattened into a patty with a protecting paper strip on each side of the patty comprising a pair of feed rolls beyond the mashing or flattening throat for gripping the edges of the paper rolls strips.

4. In a ground meat patty forming machine the combination of a pair of rolls of paper each roll formed from a continuous strip of paper, means operatively mounting said paper rolls to have their peripheries opposed to one another in spaced relation to'form between their said op posed peripheries a mashing or flattening throat into which a quantity of ground meat, sufficient to form a patty, is placed, means operatively connected with said paper rolls for simultaneously rotating the paper rolls and unwinding the paper strips to cause the ground meat quantity to move with the paper straps and pass through the throat and be mashed or flattened into a patty with a protecting paper strip on each side of the patty comprising a pair of feed rolls beyond the mashing or flattening throat for gripping the edges of the paper rolls strips, and means beyond the feed rolls for separating the paper strips behind a ground meat patty.

5. In a ground meat patty forming machine the combination of a pair of rolls of paper each roll formed from a continuous strip of paper, said strips being laterally weakened, at regular intervals, throughout their length to form in ct;

tent:- a iseries. of paper 1 sheets. :joined to one anothemi means operatively mounting said paper rolls tohave their-peripheries: opposed to one an-. othemin. spaced: relation to form: between their said-opposed peripheries; amashing or flattening throat into which-a quantity'of ground meat, sufiicient to formthe-patty, is placed, means operatively' connected-with said paper rolls for si" multaneouslyqrotating the .paper rolls-and un winding the paper strips to cause the ground meat. quantity to: movewith the-paper strips and pass through the--throat and. be mashed or flats tenned into-a patty with a protecting paper. on each side of-the patty; and means beyondthe mashing or flattening throat for-separating the sheets 'fromtheir paper rolls. after passing through the mashing or'flattening' throat witha ground: meat patty between them.

6. .-In aground. meat: pattyform-ing -machine the-:combination of a pair ofrolls of. papereach roH Iormedmfrom-a continuous stri-p of. paper, saidstrips -being laterally" weakened, at regular intervals, throughout their length to. form; effecta series of paper sheets joined to one another, means operatively mounting said-.paper rolls-ito-have their peripheries opposed to one-ans otherr inspaced relation to form-between their said opposed. peripheries a mashing or flattening throat. into which aquantity of ground. meat, sufiicient to form the-patty, is placed, means operatively connected. withsaidpaper rolls for simultaneously rotating. the. paper rolls and unwinding ,-.the paper; strips. to a cause the ground meatiquantity to move with. thepaper strips and pass-sthrough the throat. and be mashed or'flattened into a patty with a protecting paper on each: side of. the patty, and means beyond. the mas-hing or flattening throat for separating the sheets -from their paper rollsafter passing through the mashing or flattening throat. with a ground meat patty between them said paper rolls.:rotating meanscomprising a. pair of. feed rolls beyond the sheet separating means for. grip ping-the edges ofthe paperrolls strips. simultaneously at each side ofsaidsheets.

7...I'n'a ground meat patty forming machine thevcombination of' a'pair of rolls of paper each roll formed-from 'a continuous strip of paper, sazidastrips-.beingxl'aterally weakened, at regular intervals, throughout their length toform in effeet a series of papersheets joined to one another-,,. means operatively mounting. said paper rollstohave their peripheries opposed to one anotherrinspaced relation to form between their said-opposed peripheries a mashing orfiattening throata'intdwhich a quantity of. ground meat, suflicient to.- form the.-patty, is placed, means operatively connected with said paper rolls for-simultaneously rotating the paper rolls and unWindi-nglthe. paper strips to cause the ground meat? quantity to movewi-th the paper strips and pass through the throat-and be mashed or; flattoned into a patty with aprotecting paper on each. side: of the -patty,. and: means beyond. the mashing. or flattening threat. for separating: the sheets: from..their.-. paper rollsafter passing through the. mashing or flattenin thoat witha ground meatpatty between them, said paper rollshrotating. means comprising a pairofv driven feed. rolls beyo-nct the sheet separating means fongrippingthe edges of the paper rolls strips simultaneously at each. side of. said sheets, and saidsheetsseparating means-a comprising a pair ofi- .driven.-.rolls;-. rotating. at-a speed. in excess-of. thespeed-of theree'd rolls foreneafingoneedge.

ofithepaper rolls strips -for separatingthesheets at thetransverse weakenedlines of. saidstrips.

8.-'In. a .groundmeatpatty forming. machine the combination-of a pair of. paper -r011s each roll-.formed from a continuous strip of paper, means operatively mounting. said paper rolls to havetheir peripheries. opposedto one another in spaced relation to form. between their .said 0p.- posed peripheries. a mashing or flatteningthroat into which-a quantity of ground meat, sufficient to form a patty, is placed, said paper rollsmountingwmeans-comprising a supporting axle or shaft for eachpaper rolls, acam for each end of. each shaftor -axl'eperipherally supporting the same means operatively eonnectedawith said paper rollsfor simultaneouslyqrotating the paper rolls and unwinding-the: paper strips to? cause: the ground -meat:' quantityto:-movev with said paper strips. and pass through :the throat to be'mashed orfiattened into a patty with a. protecting paper oneach side ofthe patty,- andssaid-cams having a downwardly-. directedsupporting surface to cause. said rolls-to move towardone another asv theirsize is-being diminished for maintaining-the peripheries of.the. paper rolls in their spaced poisitions-.-

9; In'a'ground meat patty forming machine the? combination .of a pair of paper rolls: each roll formed from a continuous strip ofrpaper;

. means'operati-velymounting said paper rollsto have theirperipheries-opposed to one another in spacedrelationto form between their said opposedperipheries -a mashing or=flattening throat into whichv a quantity of ground meat, sufiicient to -form a patty,-is:plaoed',-isaid paper rolls mounting-*meanscom-prising a supporting axle or shaft for each paper rolla cam-. for' each-end ofeach shaft or-axle peripheral-1y. supporting the same; means operatively connected with said paper rolls for simultaneously: rotating the paper rolls and unwinding the-paper strips to cause the ground meat quantity to move with'saidpapernstrips andpass through-the-throat. to. be. mashedor flattened into a=.patty. with. a protecting-paper on each side. of: the patty, said cams having a downwardly. directed su-pportingsurface. to. cause said. rolls tomove toward one. another as. their size: is being diminished for maintaining the peripheries .of the-paper .rolls .in their spaced positions and means for. limiting the approach of the. paper rollsto. oneanother as. they descend. theirsupporting cams fo'rmaintaining the size. or the. flattening .or mashing throat.

10. In a ground..meat..patty' forming machine the combination. of a pair .ofpaper rolls each rollformed. from a .continuous strip of paper, means operatively mounting said paper rolls to have their peripheries opposed to one. another in spaced relation to form between their said op-, posed peripheriesa mashing or flattening throat into which a quantity of ground meat, sufiicient to form a patty, isplaced, said paper rolls mounting means comprising a supporting. axle or shaft for eachpaper roll, a cam foreach end. of each shaft or axle peripherally supporting the. same, means operatively connected with. said paper rolls for simultaneously rotating the. paper rollsand unwindingthe paper. strips to cause the round meat quantity .to move with-said paper strips and passthrough. the throat to be mashed or flattened into-.a patty. with a protecting paper on each side; or the .patty-',. said cams .having a downwardly directed supporting surface. to cause said..rolls....to movev toward .one. another. as their size is being. diminished for maintaining. the; petripheries of the paper rolls in their spaced positions, and means for limiting the approach of the paper rolls to one another as they descend their supporting cams for maintaining the size of the flattening or mashing throat, comprising an upright adjacent to but outwardly of each end of the mashing or flattening throat, and an abutment roller carried by each upright for engagement with the paper rolls along the outer edges thereof at the ends of the mashing or flattening throat.

11. In a ground meat patty forming machine the combination of a pair of paper rolls each roll formed from a continuous strip of paper, means operatively mounting said paper rolls to have their peripheries opposed to one another in spaced relation to form between their said pposed peripheries a mashing or flattening throat into which a quantity of ground meat, suflicient to form a patty, is placed, said paper rolls mounting means comprising a supporting axle or shaft for each paper roll, a cam for each end of each shaft or axle peripherally supporting the same, means operatively connected with said paper rolls for simultaneously rotating the paper rolls and unwinding the strips to cause the ground meat quantity to move with said paper strips and pass through the throat to be mashed or flattened into a patty with a protecting paper on each side of the patty, said cams having a downwardly directed supporting surface to cause said rolls to move toward one another as their size is being diminished for maintaining the peripheries of the paper rolls in their spaced positions, means for limiting the approach of the paper rolls to one another as they descend their supporting cams for maintaining the size of the flattening or mashing throat, said paper rolls rotating and unwinding means comprising a pair of supplemental mashing or flattening rolls beyond the flattening or mashing throat for gripping the edges of the paper strips, and power actuated means for driving said last named rolls.

12. In a ground meat patty forming machine the combination of a pair of rolls of paper each roll formed from a continuous strip of paper, means operatively mounting said paper rolls to have their peripheries opposed to one another in spaced relation to form between their said opposed peripheries a mashing or flattening throat into which a quantity of ground meat, sufiicient to form a patty, is placed, means operatively connected with said paper rolls for simultaneously rotating the paper rolls and unwinding the paper strips to cause the ground meat quantity to move with the paper strips and pass through the throat and be mashed or flattened into a patty with a protecting paper strip on each side of the patty, and means beyond the mashing or flattening throat for separating the paper strips from the rolls behind a ground meat patty, comprising a shelf receiving the paper strips with the patty therebetween, and a knife oscillatable relative to the shelf through the paper strips behind the patty.

13. In a ground meat patty forming machine receiving a continuous stream of comminuted meat from a meat grinder the combination of a pair of paper rolls each roll formed of a continuous strip of paper, means operatively mounting said paper rolls to have their peripheries opposed to one another in spaced relation to form a flattening or mashing throat therebetween, means for dividing the stream of comminuted meat into portions each sufiicient to form a patty,

said divided portions of comminuted meat being placed in the flattening or mashing throat in succession, and means operatively connected with said paper rolls for simultaneously rotating the paper rolls and unwinding the paper strips to cause the comminuted meat portions to move with the paper strips and pass successively through the throat to be mashed or flattened into a patty with a protecting paper on each side of the patties.

14. In a ground meat patty forming machine receiving a continuous stream of comminuted meat from a meat grinder the combination of a pair of paper rolls each roll formed of a continuous strip of paper, said strips being each laterally perforated, at regular intervals, throughout their length to form in effect a series of sheets joined to one another, means operatively mounting said paper rolls to have their peripheries opposed to one another in spaced relation to form between their said opposed peripheries a mashing or flattening throat, means for dividing the stream of comminuted meat into portions each sufficient to form a patty and depositing such comminuted meat portions in succession in the mashing or flattening throat, means operatively connected with said paper rolls for simultaneously rotating the paper rolls and unwinding the paper strips to cause the comminuted meat portions to move with the paper strips and pass through the throat and be mashed or flattened with a protecting paper on each side of the patties, power means for actuating the comminuted meat stream dividing means and for actuating the paper rolls rotating and strip feedin means, and means associated with said power means whereby the said comminuted meat dividing means and paper rolls rotating and strip feeding means are actuated in timed relation to insure a divided portion of ground meat being substantially centrally of the strips sheets when passing through the flattening and mashing throat.

15. In a ground meat patty forming machine receiving a continuous stream of comminuted meat from a meat grinder the combination of a pair of paper rolls each roll formed of a continuous strip of paper, said strips being each laterally perforated, at regular intervals, throughout their length to form in effect a series of sheets joined to one another, means operatively mounting said paper rolls to have their peripheries opposed to one another in spaced relation to form between their said opposed peripheries a mashing or flattening throat, means for dividing the stream of comminuted meat into portions each suflicient to form a patty and depositing such comminuted meat portions in succession in the mashing or flattening throat, means 2 operatively connected with said paper rolls for simultaneously rotating the paper rolls and unwinding the paper strips to cause the comminuted meat portions to move with the paper strips and pass through the throat and be mashed or flattened with a protecting paper on each side of the patties, power means for actuatin the comminuted meat stream dividing means and for actuating the paper rolls rotating and strip feeding means, means associated with said. power means whereby the said comminuted meat dividing means and paper rolls rotatin and strip feeding means are actuated in timed relation to insure a divided portion of ground meat being substantially centrally of the Strips sheets when passing through the flatten- 13 ing and mashing throat, and means beyond the mashing or flattening throat for separating the sheets from their paper rolls after passing through the mashing throat with a patty between them.

16. In a ground meat patty forming machine receiving a continuous stream of comminuted meat from a meat grinder the combination of a pair of paper rolls each roll formed of a continuous strip of paper, means operatively mounting said paper rolls to have their peripheries opposed to one another in spaced relation to form a flattening or mashing throat therebetween, means for dividing the stream of comminuted meat into portions each suificient to form a patty, said divided portions of comminuted meat being placed in the flattening or mashing throat in succession, means operatively connected with said paper rolls for simultaneously rotating the paper rolls and unwinding the paper strips to 20 cause the comminuted meat portions to move with the paper strips and pass successively 14 through the throat to be mashed or flattened into a patty with a protecting paper on each side of the patties, and means beyond the mashing or flattening throat for severing the paper strips behind the patties.

FRANK S. ELSAESSER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,963,718 Schatz June 19, 1934 2,191,497 Potdevin et a1. Feb. 27, 1940 2,246,228 Winter June 17, 1941 2,299,314 Elesh et a1. Oct. 20, 1942 2,311,843 Lee Feb. 23, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 218,836 Germany Feb. 11, 1910 

